How to Organize Your Garage

First things first, make sure that your garage is decluttered. Trying to organize a cluttered space is nearly impossible. Need some help? Check out our article on how to declutter your garage!

Labeling:

Labeling is possibly one of the most important things you can do while organizing your garage. Not only does this allow you to easily find what you’re looking for, it also helps you stay organized by providing a designated space for the items you use. Using labels can also make moving to a new location way easier. You can use whatever sort of labeling system that works for you, whether that be color coding or simply writing on masking tape with a sharpie. Creating labels for everything will also make it easier for other members of the family to find something. When you’re the one organizing everything it’s easier for you to remember what goes where, but what about when your spouse or child needs to find something or return something to it’s rightful space? Labels make things simple.

When you create your labels you should be sure that they are either simple to understand or that there is a key or legend to refer to. If you decide to color code, it might be best to create a master list of the colors and what they correspond to. This list should be easy to understand for everyone in the family and should always be visible. One of the best ways to do so is to print out your list, laminate it (to protect it from potential pests and deterioration), and fixate it near the light switch. The key to staying organized with labels is to make sure that you stay true to your system. If you pull an item from “baseball equipment” you shouldn’t return it to the “fishing equipment” area. Now of course labels can only go so far without having the proper places to store items. You need to make sure that you have plenty of containers as well as shelving units.

Containers:

When storing away your items, it is typically best to use clear, plastic containers. This not only allows you to see the contents of the box, but it also prevents potential damage that could be caused by using a cardboard box. Although cheap, cardboard boxes can allow water to seep through and ruin your items and can also be easily chewed on by rats or other potential pests. Plastic containers are also cost-effective, but they provide far more protection for your stuff. There are plenty of shapes and sizes of plastic containers, so it’s up to you to determine which will best suit your needs. Sterilite has an incredible product line of plastic containers that can be completely customizable. Of course boxes aren’t the only way to stay organized. For smaller items, such as nails, screws, light bulbs, etc., you can find transparent plastic drawers that vary in sizes depending on your needs.

Once you get all of the containers you need, it’s best to start separating items into categories. Christmas decorations should go together, Halloween decorations should go together, old toys should be separate, any sort of blankets or clothing, etc. You should always make sure that each container holds similar items. It won’t do you any good if you decide to pack your ghosts away with your Santas. After you’ve separated your items, you should think carefully about how to store them. If you have any containers that hold items you use regularly, then you may want to give those containers the easiest access.

Shelving Units & Cabinets:

Shelves & cabinets are essential to keeping everything organized and off the ground. Shelving units also prevent the need for stacking 10 boxes or containers on top of one another, giving you a far safer space to store all of your things. You can either buy or build cabinets and shelving units, but no matter what you choose you’ll be one step closer to a more organized garage!

Hooks and Pegboards

Hooks and pegboards are perfect for hanging up tools, sports equipment, and just about anything else you can think of. By using a pegboard, you’re able to keep things as close to the wall as possible without keeping them on the floor. This allows you to free up space for your vehicle or lawn mower. By keeping everything hanging on the wall, your garage not only looks neater, but you’re also able to find what you’re looking for easily. No more searching through a pile or a box of tools and equipment!

Bikes

Bikes can easily take up a ton of space on the ground. When you get to organizing your garage, try installing hooks on the walls to store your bikes! By placing them on the wall you free up more room for your vehicles and it can prevent the bikes from getting damaged. There are several options for how you can store your bikes. You can either hang them from the ceiling or mount them to the wall, depending on the rack you choose. When picking out a bike rack for your garage you’ll want to consider how easily you’ll be able to access your bike.